Combating the Labor Shortage in Manufacturing

Feb 4, 2020

The skilled labor shortage is no laughing matter for the manufacturing industry.

With the national unemployment rate falling to 3.6% in April 2019, there aren’t many people looking for work. And, while the U.S. manufacturing index shows a slowed rate of expansion over the past year, American manufacturing is still growing.

Besides the low unemployment rate and a steady manufacturing industry, the labor shortage can also be attributed to the surge of retiring Baby Boomers and a younger generation entering the workforce that doesn’t see the manufacturing sector as a part of their future.

Millennials are skeptical about future careers in manufacturing.

In addition to creative recruiting practices and benefits to attract talent, companies are investing in new technologies, like collaborative and autonomous mobile robots, to supplement their workforce and increase production.

Collaborative robots disrupted the manufacturing sector when they burst on the scene and started working alongside humans. While initially feared by many, collaborative robots have grown exponentially in usage because of their ability to supplement human output to boost overall efficiency.

Here are 2 different collaborative robot solutions that may benefit your operation:

6-Axis Collaborative Robot

These robots are designed to operate in high-volume manufacturing and man-robot collaboration environments. Universal Robots family of cobots offers four different payload options – 3, 5, 10 and 16kg.

Autonomous Mobile Robot

Freeing your human workforce from mundane tasks, these robots can be implemented without any supporting infrastructure like markers or wires or magnets setup in precise locations. AMRs can find and move anything from parts to pallets in warehouses, factories, or distribution centers.

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